270,000 FaultyLexus/Toyota Engines, potential recall (valve spring replacement)
07-06-10, 06:48 PM
#94
info posted by kalbert24
-----------------------------
Well, here's the lastest from the NHTSA.gov site.
it's Toyota's official DIR to the NTHSA (Defect Information Report). It has the VINs involved in this recall.
http://nhthqnwws112.odi.nhtsa.dot.go...0V309-8305.pdf
-----------------------------
Well, here's the lastest from the NHTSA.gov site.
it's Toyota's official DIR to the NTHSA (Defect Information Report). It has the VINs involved in this recall.
http://nhthqnwws112.odi.nhtsa.dot.go...0V309-8305.pdf
The chronology outlined in the defect information report raises several questions.
Surprising that the problem with the contaminants (zirconia and silicon oxide) never happened before. Is this furnace(s) solely dedicated to springs for the GS? Was the use of zirconia in the furnace a first-time thing? Seems odd that no other models were affected and that they are using a casting process that presumably no one else does, otherwise surely this problem would have appeared before.
Why did they wait so long to address the problem with vehicles that had already been delivered? By changing the spring diameter to 3.4mm in August 2008, they all but admitted that 3.3mm springs were potentially defective. They should have issued the recall right then and there.
After the change to 3.4mm springs in August 2008, they increased the diameter again to 3.5mm in September 2009, stating that valve springs greater than 3.4mm in diameter are of sufficient strength to protect against the problem blah blah blah. The replacement springs in the recall will be 3.5mm. Why then are they not recalling the vehicles produced between August 2008 and September 2009, since they have the smaller 3.4mm springs?
07-06-10, 08:56 PM
#95
executive matchup
mixed feelings right now: i fall outside the vin range, so the recall doesn't affect me. BUT: the valve springs i have are probably the 3.4mm ones, and not the 3.5 mm that the recalls are getting. 
07-06-10, 10:05 PM
#96
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SC
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Before the recall my mom was picking my daughter up from school and her 07 LS460 stalled. She didn't know what to do so headed over in my 06 GS430 to see what was going on. It was all f-uped so I hit the Lexus link she isn't a member and she got on the phone with her dealer. After a bunch of bs they sent AAA to get it and take it to the nearest dealer. Come to find out valve spring broke. She lives in GA and they didn't want to give her a car. So I called her dealer in ATL and finally they worked something out with the dealer in SC. About two weeks earlier her amp went out and lexus link wouldn't tell me which fuse to pull and stop it had to come to this great form. If lexus wants to do any good they need to refer to this place and get some info to better their brand. Maybe I speed the recall up because i gave two dealerships and lexus link hell for over 4hrs with a 70+k car stalling while parked. And I drive it (LS) to TN and seems like it still has a problem like before. When you hit the gas it want go like normal. Sorry for the long write Lexus just has gotten to me
07-06-10, 10:15 PM
#97
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
CRAP, my toy is on the HIT LIST... 
I am dropping off my toy sometime this week, but won't pickup till brake noise also been repaired (new TSIB suppose to come out at the end of this month)...
I am feeling like driving BMW/MB again... now service department is my second garage...
I am dropping off my toy sometime this week, but won't pickup till brake noise also been repaired (new TSIB suppose to come out at the end of this month)...
I am feeling like driving BMW/MB again... now service department is my second garage...
07-07-10, 12:06 AM
#99
guys, you are all pushing on the panic button again... it's just my feeling. people in the recall, they complain about cars having problems. people not in the recall, they complain what if their cars have problems @_@
CAK 500, as discussed extensively in the car chat thread, a new design does NOT mean a recall. if for every single design change / improvement they have to issue a recall, our cars will probably be recalled so often it will drive you crazy.
going from 3.4mm to 3.5mm could be to make things even more solid, but that doesn't mean 3.4mm is faulty. keep in mind, lexus already openly said they knew about the problems 2 yrs ago, but they did not believe the 3.3mm spring would be a problem at all, but increasing the size would help. it's not until recently that they heard about more problems (like about 0.2%) that they decided to be preventive and recall all cars.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/5618952-post1413.html
CAK 500, as discussed extensively in the car chat thread, a new design does NOT mean a recall. if for every single design change / improvement they have to issue a recall, our cars will probably be recalled so often it will drive you crazy.
going from 3.4mm to 3.5mm could be to make things even more solid, but that doesn't mean 3.4mm is faulty. keep in mind, lexus already openly said they knew about the problems 2 yrs ago, but they did not believe the 3.3mm spring would be a problem at all, but increasing the size would help. it's not until recently that they heard about more problems (like about 0.2%) that they decided to be preventive and recall all cars.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/5618952-post1413.html
07-07-10, 04:26 AM
#100
guys, you are all pushing on the panic button again... it's just my feeling. people in the recall, they complain about cars having problems. people not in the recall, they complain what if their cars have problems @_@
CAK 500, as discussed extensively in the car chat thread, a new design does NOT mean a recall. if for every single design change / improvement they have to issue a recall, our cars will probably be recalled so often it will drive you crazy.
going from 3.4mm to 3.5mm could be to make things even more solid, but that doesn't mean 3.4mm is faulty. keep in mind, lexus already openly said they knew about the problems 2 yrs ago, but they did not believe the 3.3mm spring would be a problem at all, but increasing the size would help. it's not until recently that they heard about more problems (like about 0.2%) that they decided to be preventive and recall all cars.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/5618952-post1413.html
CAK 500, as discussed extensively in the car chat thread, a new design does NOT mean a recall. if for every single design change / improvement they have to issue a recall, our cars will probably be recalled so often it will drive you crazy.
going from 3.4mm to 3.5mm could be to make things even more solid, but that doesn't mean 3.4mm is faulty. keep in mind, lexus already openly said they knew about the problems 2 yrs ago, but they did not believe the 3.3mm spring would be a problem at all, but increasing the size would help. it's not until recently that they heard about more problems (like about 0.2%) that they decided to be preventive and recall all cars.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/5618952-post1413.html
07-07-10, 04:34 AM
#101
No panic button here, but Lexus has by their own admission made an unacceptable and uncharacteristic string of quality control mistakes. They basically set a new standard for quality, performance and reliability among car manufacturers, and are now failing to meet their own standard. Without anger, pressure and a healthy bit of skepticism on our part as consumers, these types of failures will persist. I believe that they'll come back stronger than ever, but we have to stay on their asses to help them get there.
07-07-10, 08:03 AM
#103
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
No panic button here, but Lexus has by their own admission made an unacceptable and uncharacteristic string of quality control mistakes. They basically set a new standard for quality, performance and reliability among car manufacturers, and are now failing to meet their own standard. Without anger, pressure and a healthy bit of skepticism on our part as consumers, these types of failures will persist. I believe that they'll come back stronger than ever, but we have to stay on their asses to help them get there.
With that said, I do think Lexus (and Infiniti) provide the most bang for the buck in the luxury segment. But they handle public relations as poorly as the state of Israel.
07-07-10, 08:59 AM
#104
No panic button here, but Lexus has by their own admission made an unacceptable and uncharacteristic string of quality control mistakes. They basically set a new standard for quality, performance and reliability among car manufacturers, and are now failing to meet their own standard. Without anger, pressure and a healthy bit of skepticism on our part as consumers, these types of failures will persist. I believe that they'll come back stronger than ever, but we have to stay on their asses to help them get there.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/car...ave-lexus.html
you can see that i have been criticizing their quality issues since 2006, after i saw the 3gs, owned the ls460l, and now the gs350
lexus (toyota) definitely needs a big slap on the face to wake up. though my previous post was trying to clarify their position (not trying to say right or wrong) and that design changes shouldn't translate to recall immediately
07-07-10, 09:04 AM
#105
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Texas
Posts: 864
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No, not panicking here!!! 
I am just disappointed with their QC, the only reason I got the Lexus is so I would not "became" frequent visitor at the service department; otherwise I would of keep on driving BMW or MB instead...
I am just disappointed with their QC, the only reason I got the Lexus is so I would not "became" frequent visitor at the service department; otherwise I would of keep on driving BMW or MB instead...